Who owns Hard Rock Casino Rockford?
Who owns the Hard Rock Casino Rockford? Led by chief investor Dan Fischer, owner of the Dotty's gaming café chain, an ownership group of more than four dozen people, businesses and trusts each owning at least a 5% stake called 815 Entertainment LLC own the planned casino resort in partnership with Seminole Hard Rock International.
SEE: The envy of the world | Oct 19th 2024 | The Economist
Special reports - Oct 19th 2024
The American economy has left other rich countries in the dust. Expect that to continue, argue Simon Rabinovitch and Henry Curr
Northern Public Radio | By Maria Gardner Lara
Published October 10, 2024 at 4:30 AM CDT
Listen • 3:33
Boone County Election Clerk
Democrat Michael Yates and Republicans Josh Shumaker, and incumbent Brian Schneider are vying for two seats representing the first district on the Boone County Board.
County boards make decisions that have a lot of impact on its residents that are sometimes overlooked, such as which roads get repaired, property taxes, and the funding for the local health department.
In Boone County, voters get to choose two candidates.
Here are profiles of the candidates for Boone County, District 1.
Josh Shumaker (R)
Josh Shumaker
Republican Josh Shumaker has lived in the area since he was nine. He works in corporate IT.
The thirty-seven-year-old said he decided to run because he didn’t see many folks from his generation on the board.
“Why aren't there people my age running?” he asked. “And so that's just how I kind of started to be like, okay, maybe I should get involved.”
He said securing a better future for his four kids is also a motivator.
Regarding issues facing the county, he said rodeos are an obvious one.
It's definitely about lifestyle and how people live,” he said. “It's something that I don't believe the government has a pipeline to tell people how to live.”
Scrutiny of the events has taken up a lot of the board’s time. Mexican American families have held the Mexican style rodeos, also known as coleaderos, in the county for over 20 years.
With respect to concerns for the animals’ welfare, he said if a crime occurs, then folks must be prosecuted accordingly.
He said another issue is solar panels.
He said there needs to be long-term planning on the need of farmland for the future.
“Farmland is very valuable as a local resource,” he said. “It feeds your population, it's, something that we need, and we should incentivize those farmers to use that farmland in the proper way.”
He said fiscal responsibility is also another issue important to him.
As far as housing, Shumaker emphasized the positive role the county has taken to spur the economy, especially in the I-90 corridor.
“I think the county board bringing jobs to the county in smart ways is good,” he said.
Michael Yates (D)
Michael Yates
Michael Yates has lived in Belvidere for over two decades.
He has worked in the Belvidere School District since 2008 in various roles including assistant principal and now, English high school teacher.
He said he’s gotten to know the families of the district over the years and is invested in their future and in turn making the county better.
“These children that I'm teaching right now and that are graduating,” he said, “I'd like to see the Belvidere high school graduates come back to Belvidere and have great opportunities for them.”
He said a major issue facing the county is the idling of the Stellantis plant. He fully supports the United Auto workers and said if elected to the board he wants “to make sure that the plant comes back and that those job opportunities are still there not just for the auto workers, but also really taking a look across the county and making sure that small businesses are supported.”
Yates said overall it’s about bringing good jobs to the county.
Also, he’d like to see more county support given to the public health department and the conservation districts.
Regarding the ongoing debate on the Mexican-style rodeos, Yates said he’d emphasize the importance of getting feedback from different organizations “and making sure you're doing your research, making sure you're listening to lawyers and attorneys.”
He added, “and making sure that you're actually doing decisions that are fair and just and that are in the best interest of everybody.”
Regarding housing, he said there’s a need for affordable housing, and he’s interested in learning about the county’s role in supporting housing development.
“How are we using the land to the best possible availability?” he asked. He said he thinks about his students and his own kids.
“I hope that they are willing to come back and move here,” he said, “and part of that is not only having a job, but also having affordable housing for them as well.”
Brian Schneider, incumbent (R)
The third candidate is incumbent Republican Brian Schneider. WNIJ reached out to him several times and hasn’t received a response.
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A Chicago native, Maria earned a Master's Degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield . Maria is a 2022-2023 corps member for Report for America. RFA is a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. It is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, a nonprofit journalism organization. Un residente nativo de Chicago, Maria se graduó de University of Illinois Springfield con una licenciatura superior en periodismo de gobierno.
Above is from: https://www.northernpublicradio.org/wnij-news/2024-10-10/boone-county-district-one-candidates-talk-stellantis-rodeos-and-jobs
The three questions, as they appear on ballots, are:
These questions are being asked because lawmakers passed Senate Bill 2412 in early May, instructing state election officials to add them to ballots.
For more comments on these issues go to: https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/voters-consider-ballot-questions-on-reproductive-health-tax-reform-election-interference/
Jeff Diestelmeier - Board of Education
We’re excited to announce the newest addition to our D100 Board of Education, Jeff Diestelmeier. Jeff brings a wealth of experience and a commitment to supporting our entire school community.
Jeff and his wife have lived in the Belvidere area for the last two years after having lived in Roscoe for about 35 years. There they raised their two children who attended the Kinnikinnick and Hononegah school districts. After their children finished college and established themselves elsewhere, Jeff was in the position to give back to the community and decided to run for a seat on the Kinnikinnick School Board and was elected. He served in that position for five and a half years, having been re-elected for a second term.
While a member of the Kinnikinnick Board, he was chair of the Finance Committee and also served on the Insurance Committee. When he and his wife found their dream home in Belvidere, Jeff had to resign from his position on the Board due to his change of residence, and he has been thinking about serving in Belvidere ever since.
Jeff worked for Woodward Governor for close to 20 years, then Ideal Industries in Sycamore for 2 and a half years. He’s been with Watlow, a St. Louis based company, for the last 18 years. Jeff has held a variety of leadership positions across all types of business functions, currently serving as Vice President and General Manager, leading one of three business units for Watlow.
While serving on the Kinnikinnick Board, Jeff was able to use his business experience dealing with finance, insurance and other matters brought to the board.
Jeff will be sworn in as a Board member at our October 21st Board meeting where he will fill the position through April 2025.
We are confident that Jeff's leadership and dedication will help us continue to foster a positive, inclusive, and thriving environment for our entire school community. Please join us in giving Jeff a warm welcome!
Thank you for your ongoing support of District 100.
Above is from: https://www.district100.com/
Stateline Halloween trick-or-treat hours© WIFR
(WIFR) - Below is a list of Halloween trick-or-treat hours for the stateline. Unless otherwise noted, all trick-or-treat times are for Thursday, Oct. 31.
April Johnson, Kennesaw State University
Thu, October 10, 2024 at 7:30 AM CDT·6 min read
Donald Trump accuses others of acts he has done at an Oct. 3, 2024, rally in Michigan. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio
Donald Trump has a particular formula he uses to convey messages to his supporters and opponents alike: He highlights others’ wrongdoings even though he has committed similar acts himself.
On Oct. 3, 2024, Trump accused the Biden administration of spending Federal Emergency Management Agency funds – money meant for disaster relief – on services for immigrants. Biden did no such thing, but Trump did during his time in the White House, including to pay for additional detention space.
This is not the first time he has accused someone of something he had done or would do in the future. In 2016, Trump criticized opponent Hillary Clinton’s use of an unsecured personal email server while secretary of state as “extreme carelessness with classified material.” But once he was elected, Trump continued to use his unsecured personal cellphone while in office. And he has been criminally charged with illegally keeping classified government documents after he left office and storing them in his bedroom, bathroom and other places at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
After complaining about how Hillary Clinton handled classified documents, Donald Trump stored national secrets in a bathroom. Justice Department via AP
More recently, the Secret Service arrested a man with a rifle who was allegedly planning to shoot Trump during a round of golf. In the wake of this event, Trump accused Democrats of using “inflammatory language” that stokes the fires of political violence. Meanwhile, Trump himself has a long history of making inflammatory remarks that could potentially incite violence.
As a scholar of both politics and psychology, I’m familiar with the psychological strategies candidates use to persuade the public to support them and to cast their rivals in a negative light. This strategy Trump has used repeatedly is called “projection.” It’s a tactic people use to lessen their own faults by calling out these faults in others.
There are plenty of examples. During his Sept. 10, 2024, debate with Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump claimed that Democrats were responsible for the July 13 assassination attempt against him. “I probably took a bullet to the head because of the things that they say about me,” he declared.
Earlier in the debate he had falsely accused immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, of eating other people’s pets – a statement that sparked bomb threats and prompted the city’s mayor to declare a state of emergency.
Similarly, congressional investigators and federal prosecutors have found that Trump’s remarks called thousands of people to Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, encouraging them to violently storm the Capitol in order to stop the counting of electoral votes.
Trump isn’t the only politician who uses projection. His running mate, JD Vance, claimed “the rejection of the American family is perhaps the most pernicious and the most evil thing the left has done in this country.” Critics quickly pointed out that his own family has a history of dysfunction and drug addiction.
Projection happens on both sides of the political aisle. In reference to Trump’s proposed 10% tariff on all imported goods, the Harris campaign launched social media efforts to condemn the so-called “Trump tequila tax.” While Harris frames this proposal as a sales tax that would devastate middle-class families, she deflects from the fact that inflation has made middle-class life more expensive since she and President Joe Biden took office.
Projection is one example of unconscious psychological processes called defense mechanisms. Some people find it hard to accept criticism or believe information that they wish were not true. So they seek – and then provide – another explanation for the difference between what’s happening in the world and what’s happening in their minds.
In general, this is called “motivated reasoning,” which is an umbrella phrase used to describe the array of mental gymnastics people use to reconcile their views with reality.
Some examples include seeking out information that confirms their beliefs, dismissing factual claims or creating alternate explanations. For example, a smoker might downplay or simply avoid information related to the link between smoking and lung cancer, or perhaps tell themselves that they don’t smoke as much as they actually do.
Motivated reasoning is not unique to politics. It can be a challenging concept to consider because people tend to think they are fully in control of their decision-making abilities and that they are capable of objectively processing political information. The evidence is clear, however, that there are unconscious thought processes at work, too.
Audiences are also susceptible to unconscious psychological dynamics. Research has found that over time, people’s minds subconsciously attach emotions to concepts, names or phrases. So someone might have a particular emotional reaction to the words “gun control,” “Ron DeSantis” or “tax relief.”
And people’s minds also unconsciously create defenses for those seemingly automatic emotions. When a person’s emotions and defenses are questioned, a phenomenon called the “backfire effect” can occur, in which the process of controlling, correcting or counteracting mistaken beliefs ends up reinforcing the person’s beliefs rather than changing them.
For instance, some people may find it hard to believe that the candidate they prefer – whom they believe to be the best person for the job – truly lost an election. So they seek another explanation and accept explanations that justify their beliefs. Perhaps they choose to believe, even in the absence of evidence, that the race was rigged or that many fraudulent votes were cast. And when evidence to the contrary is offered, they insist their views are correct.
Vice President Kamala Harris has campaigned with Liz Cheney, right, a prominent Republican who formerly served in Congress. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein
Fortunately, research shows specific ways to reduce people’s reliance on these automatic psychological processes, including reiterating and providing details of objective facts and – importantly – attempting to correct untruths via a trusted source from the same political party.
For instance, challenges to Democrats’ belief that the Trump-affiliated conservative agenda called Project 2025 is “dangerous” would be more effective coming from a Democrat than from a Republican.
Similarly, a counter to Trump’s claim that the international community is headed toward World War III with Democrats in the White House would be stronger coming from one of Trump’s fellow Republicans. And certainly, statements that Trump “can never be trusted with power again” carries more weight when it comes from the lips of former Republican Vice President Dick Cheney than from any member of the Democratic Party.
Critiques from within a candidate’s own party are not out of the question. But they are certainly improbable given the hotly charged climate that is election season 2024.
This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit, independent news organization bringing you facts and trustworthy analysis to help you make sense of our complex world. It was written by: April Johnson, Kennesaw State University
Harvest Public Media | By Will Bauer
Published October 7, 2024 at 4:00 AM CDT
Listen • 4:19
Sophie Proe
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St. Louis Public Radio
Corn is harvested in late September on Nick Koeller's farm in Greenfield, Illinois. Prices for corn and other crops have fallen, meaning farmers expect to make less money this year.
Farmers in the Midwest and Great Plains will see decreased incomes this year, as the U.S. agriculture industry will likely have a down year compared to the last two.
Net farm income will fall 4.4% in 2024 — or $6.5 billion less than in 2023 — which is a much rosier projection than the U.S. Department of Agriculture initially predicted in February.
Amid slowing demand for crops across the globe, commodity prices for key American grains, like corn, soybeans and wheat, have fallen.
“The farm economy is in a downturn relative to what we have experienced in 2022 and 2023, which was kind of a boom in agriculture,” said Joe Janzen, a professor of agricultural economics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
While the last couple of years had been record breakers for farm income, this year will be a return to more normal levels, economists said. That reality may mean farmers in the Midwest think twice about making big purchases this year, and that’s already trickling down to other sectors.
“We're kind of making the necessity purchases right now,” said Nick Koeller, an Illinois farmer who grows corn, wheat and soybeans not far from St. Louis. “If we need something, we're going to make it work — but we're not going to look to upgrade anything this year.”
Sophie Proe
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St. Louis Public Radio
Nick Koeller climbs down from his combine during harvest on his Illinois farm in late September. Koeller said with lower crop prices and less farm income, he'll hold off on making any equipment purchases this year.
Crop prices grew over the last couple of years following shortfalls in production in Ukraine after Russia invaded in 2022. Production also recently took a dip in Brazil. In turn, low supplies across the globe increased demand for grain.
In summer 2022, commodity prices spiked. Corn futures peaked at more than $8 per bushel. Soybeans climbed to nearly $18 per bushel, and wheat capped out at nearly $450 per ton.
Now, those figures have all fallen. Corn trades at $4 per bushel. Soybeans are south of $11 per bushel, and wheat stands around $245 per ton, according to Business Insider.
In the U.S., yields for those key commodities have been relatively strong over the past couple of years too, and this year is projected to be similar. Corn production will be down 1% from last year, but soybean growers are expected to increase production 10%, according to USDA forecasts.
“That really has made the supply of these crops increase — not only here in the U.S. but on a global scale,” said Ty Kreitman, an economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. “That's been putting downward pressure on prices.”
The decrease in prices will mean there will be less income on farms across the U.S.
“It's a situation that, obviously, is difficult for the farmer because they are getting squeezed. Profitability on the farm is going to be very difficult to come by,” Janzen said. “But that's not anything that U.S. agriculture is doing. It's driven largely by global commodity markets.”
The decrease in farm income has been noticeable for agricultural equipment makers — particularly Moline, Illinois-based John Deere, which accounts for about two-thirds of high horsepower tractors in the U.S. and Canada.
Demand for Deere’s equipment, like combines and crop harvesters, has plunged recently. Overall equipment sales decreased by 20% in the latest quarter, and profits fell 42%, the Wall Street Journal reported.
“It's the first year of a downturn,” said Mig Dobre, an analyst of Deere and other equipment manufacturers for the financial services company Baird, which is based in Milwaukee. “In our opinion, this is going to stretch into 2025.”
To combat the drop in demand, Deere began laying off thousands of employees on its production line in states like Iowa. Chief Executive John May contends the agriculture machinery giant is being proactive and responding sooner than the company had in the past by cutting excess costs in lieu of the decreased farm income.
Deere is not alone in its struggles, Dobre said. Competitors Case IH and New Holland, both owned by CNH Industrial, and AGCO, which owns Massey Ferguson, are all feeling the same pressures from the greater farm economy.
CNH projected lower profit forecasts amid slowing demand for its tractors and combines earlier this year. AGCO reported sales plummeting in the second quarter of this year, citing lower commodity prices, weakening market demand and production cuts.
Farmers, such as Koeller, may hold off on buying in the meantime. The fifth generation farmer said he’d wait to reevaluate.
“Moving into harvest, if the combine needs repairs, it just needs repaired. We’re going to repair it.” Koeller said. “As far as buying extras, we’re tabling those things until maybe after harvest.”
Sophie Proe
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Corn is unloaded into a wagon on Nick Koeller's farm in southern Illinois in late September. The farmer said he'll repair any issues with his tractors or combine rather than buying new equipment this year.
Farmers National Company, an Omaha-based firm that specializes in agricultural real estate, reported earlier this year that the land market is "settling."
Tim Johnson, an area vice president for Farmers National in eastern Nebraska and western Iowa, said decreased farm income does play a role. Interest rates that are higher than they had been in about 15 years also factors into the equation.
“When you deal with the volume of what these land prices are, that interest rate really adds up quickly,” said Johnson, who’s based in Grand Island, Nebraska. “So, that truly causes a level of conservatism to come into play.”
Overall, Johnson estimates farmland prices have decreased by 5-10% across the board in his neck of the woods.
Yet desirable farmland still generates demand, and bidders will compete for that property, Johnson said. The lower tier properties are a different story.
“Farmers aren’t quite as motivated to go out and pay a premium for those farms,” he said.
Buying farmland is a tricky gamble for farmers, however. While a local dealer will have options for farm equipment, land isn’t always for sale. Oftentimes, it’s only available when a neighbor retires or someone dies. Farmers might have to take the risk, even when the economics aren’t the most attractive.
“The biggest thing with the purchasing ground is they don't make any more,” Koeller said. “That's the one caveat in land that's different from a lot of other things — there's only so many acres.”
Eric Lee
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St. Louis Public Radio
Farmland lines the Missouri River on near Washington, Missouri. This photo was taken in April with aerial support provided by LightHawk.
Agriculture is fairly debt intensive, maybe more so than other industries, said Kreitman with the Kansas City Fed. With less cash this year, the bank is observing more demand from farmers for loans.
“We're seeing growth and sort of use of debt at the same time that we are seeing interest rates at a level that really we haven't seen for several decades,” Kreitman said. “That puts another element into the equation.”
In the Federal Reserve’s Tenth District, which includes Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, the northern half of New Mexico and the western third of Missouri, nearly 45% of lenders surveyed reported more demand for non-real estate farm loans than a year ago.
Loan renewals and extensions are also increasing in that region, and repayment rates have declined, the survey found.
The good news for farmers needing to take on debt is that the Federal Reserve recently slashed rates by a half point — and leaders at the central bank could make another cut before the end of the year.
The USDA is projecting a small increase in the bankruptcy rate among farmers this year compared to last year. However, 2022 and 2023 had been record low levels — the smallest in 20 years.
Yet, there are bright spots for producers.
Livestock, as a whole, is forecasted to do well in 2024. Cattle and calves will make 4% more than last year, totalling $4 billion, which is the fourth consecutive year that sector will increase, the USDA reports. Prices for dairy, broilers, hogs and eggs are also projected to increase this year compared to last.
“It does appear to be a period of relatively good times in the livestock sector,” Janzen said.
This story was produced in partnership with Harvest Public Media, a collaboration of public media newsrooms in the Midwest. It reports on food systems, agriculture and rural issues.
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WNIJ News Harvest Public Media
Will Bauer joined Nebraska Public Media in 2021 after graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He now produces the statewide TV talk show "Speaking of Nebraska" and is a general assignment reporter. Will is a Minnesota native, enjoys golfing in his free time and holds three undergraduate degrees.
WNIJ Hola
Hola es su centro para mantenerse informado, compartir ideas y conectarse con recursos. (Hola is your hub to stay informed, share ideas, and connect with resources in northern Illinois.)
Northern Public Radio | By Maria Gardner Lara
Published October 7, 2024 at 4:18 AM CDT
Listen • 4:23
Boone County Clerk's Office
The Stellantis plant may have put Belvidere on the map, but it’s part of a larger landscape. There’s a growing industrial base in Boone County as folks also want to preserve the area’s agricultural sector and history.
Here are the candidates running for Boone County Board, District 2, that will help guide the direction the county takes in the coming years.
Voters will be asked to select two candidate out of four listed.
Tracy Rangel (D)
Tracy Rangel
Rangel has lived in Boone County for over 30 years. She is a trustee for Caledonia Township and chair of the Boone County Democratic Party. She also dedicates time to care for her grandson.
She said she’s running to ensure that Boone County is a place where the next generation can thrive.
"I want this area to be ‘hometown-y’ enough," she said, "but responsible enough to also be able to provide a prevailing wage, so kids who go off to college can still come home and find a decent job and a decent living.”
She said with the new development that has cropped up in the county, the water supply and farmland need protecting.
“It's a very fine line to walk between encouraging business and encouraging farmland and farmers,” she said. “I care about both of those things.”
She said the park and conservation districts can be made stronger.
“Boone County is losing prairie land right and left,” she said. “So, we need to emphasize the conservation district.”
She said the development of the railroad and the traffic due to the Rockford’s new casino on Route 20 is also on her mind.
“We are not going to get the money from the casino,” she said. “So, we have to function or facilitate the growth that's going to come down 20.”
Regarding housing, she said it’s a big issue.
“We need to find a way to find some housing for lots of people," she said, "not just rich people, not just poor people, but the median income people who are still struggling.”
Tom Walberg, incumbent (R)
Tom Walberg
Tom Walberg is a fifth-generation farmer in Belvidere. He also sells seeds.
“I'm an organized person," he said, "and pretty analytical on things and fiscally responsible."
He’s been on the county board since 2021. He sits on the education committee and on the board of directors for Growth Dimensions, which is an agency that seeks to drive large businesses to the area.
Walberg said he’s proud of his involvement with Growth Dimensions and the economic development it’s fostered.
Recently, Microsoft announced that it is building a data center on 400 acres near Cherry Valley.
“Those are great jobs for our area," he said, "and I think that's going to create a stimulate our economy quite a bit."
Walberg said it will also lead to a need for housing. And he adds the county board has mapped out what area is best suited for new housing construction.
“The county board comes into play a little bit," he said, "and when it comes into land use and that type of thing with all of our zoning and planning departments.”
A month ago, the board green-lit 3-D mapping of the county’s aquifers, costing about $500,000. Walberg voted against it.
“I would have liked to have seen a broader approach," he said, "and brought in more individuals from the standpoint of cost."
Regarding solar panels, Walberg said he was instrumental in creating an ordinance to limit solar panels to Class C soil, which is least productive.
A divisive issue on the board are the Mexican-style rodeos, as some local residents and animal rights group have called for a ban on the events due to concerns for animal welfare.
Walberg was on the special committee that scrutinized all aspects of the rodeos. He supported tweaks to some provisions, but was against a larger proposal to ban the rodeos in the county.
As far as allegations of animal abuse, he said, “I don't think any animal should be abused in Boone County, but again, we have departments for that. We have a process.”
He said the animal services department and the state’s attorney’s office handle the investigation and the prosecution of claims of animal abuse.
Also, he said he supports the Mexican-style rodeos as a matter of property rights.
“I feel like all landowners should have the right to utilize their property the way that they choose to utilize their property," he said.
Mexican American families have held the rodeos on their property in the county for over 20 years.
Daniel Dupree (D)
Daniel Dupree
Daniel Dupree said the overturning of Roe v. Wade spurred him to get involved politically and run for the county board.
He said he’s concerned for the future for his two baby granddaughters.
“I want them to have bodily autonomy," Dupree said. “I want them to have the same rights that I have as a man.”
Dupree moved to the county with his wife four years ago to be closer to family that live throughout the area.
He’s a disabled veteran and nearly completed a PhD in philosophy. Dupree substitute teaches in Belvidere and Rockford.
He says a big issue in the county is property taxes.
“My property taxes have doubled in three years, doubled,” he said. “I don't understand why we're giving away money to the big corporations out there. “
He said he understand that there has to be incentives for businesses to move into the area, “but you can't do it at the sole expense of the people.”
He said another concern is water management, especially as large businesses move into town.
“A lot of these plants that are opening up," he said, "they are not giving us proper explanations about what's going to happen with their effluent and their runoff, and how much water they're going to use.”
Regarding the debate on the Mexican-style rodeos, he questions the animal rights group SHARK, out of Elburn, who have been calling for a ban. Mexican American families have held the events on their properties in the county for over 20 years.
“Why are they distracting us with this issue that really has already been legislated by the state and federal government?,” he asked. “We've got controls on this already.”
Ryan Curry, incumbent (R)
The fourth candidate who’s on the ballot is incumbent Republican Ryan Curry. He hasn’t responded to WNIJ’s requests for an interview.
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A Chicago native, Maria earned a Master's Degree in Public Affairs Reporting from the University of Illinois Springfield . Maria is a 2022-2023 corps member for Report for America. RFA is a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. It is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, a nonprofit journalism organization. Un residente nativo de Chicago, Maria se graduó de University of Illinois Springfield con una licenciatura superior en periodismo de gobierno.
Northern Public Radio | By Peter Medlin
Published October 3, 2024 at 4:46 PM CDT
Listen • 4:08
Peter Medlin
DeKalb High School's cafeteria
The executive chef chops onions for a homemade salsa. Around the corner, cooks pinch pizza dough and dishes clang in the sink.
A few feet away, hundreds of customers pour in, order, & leave in minutes. Today, they’ll serve upward of 1,700 meals. Welcome to the biggest and busiest restaurant in town: DeKalb High School.
“Last year, we served 1.15 million meals, and we're already trending for more this year," said Mike Chamness. He’s the food service manager at DeKalb Public Schools.
“Hi friend! What can I get you today?” asks Tiffany, one of the school’s food workers. She's guiding a line of students through her station.
This first rush just started. Students come through 200 at a time. It won’t really slow down for another four hours. The workers have been prepping food since 6 a.m.
And DeKalb students have a lot of options. There's pasta, a deli, salad, stir fry, pizza, a Chipotle-style burrito bar, grab & go station and, of course, a daily special. Today, it’s the chili dog.
There are more options this year, thanks to the district’s new partnership with food vendor Organic Life.
Connor Arteaga is the food service director with Organic Life. Arteaga says there are nutrition standards they have to meet.
“We have to offer all five of our components, which are your grains, your meat/meat alternative, your fruit or vegetable, and then your milk," said Arteaga. "They must take three out of the five for lunch, one of which has to be a half a cup of fruit or a vegetable.”
DeKalb offers free meals to every student, breakfast and lunch -- no matter age or income.
“Unfortunately, some of our students, it could be the only meals they get every day, but definitely the healthiest meals they get every day too," said Chamness. He says the benefits don’t end there.
“There's less trips to the nurse's office. A lot of times, kids are going to the nurse's office when all it was is that they were hungry," he said. "So, there's less trips to the nurse's office and we have improved behavior in the district.”
Most studies show universal meals lead to fewer disciplinary issues and increase academic performance.
The food program looks a little different at the middle and elementary schools. For example, they serve breakfast in the classrooms at those levels.
“Which also removes that stigma," said Chamness. "Everybody's eating at the same time, where before there was an option: you can go outside and play with your friends or you can come in and eat breakfast.”
But, at DeKalb, universal meals are a relatively new thing. They’ve been offering them for four years. During the pandemic, the federal government allowed all schools to offer free meals. That expired in 2022, but after many schools, like DeKalb, saw the positives -- they couldn’t go back.
Roxanne Ramage is with the Illinois State Board of Education. She says it’s a trend they’ve seen in Illinois.
“We did see some growth after that pandemic feeding and continue to support kids," she said. "It's great when the kids can come to school and not have to worry about any of that."
DeKalb qualifies for universal meals through the Community Eligibility Provision. It’s a federal program where schools can offer free meals if a certain percentage of students qualify for federal assistance like Medicaid or SNAP.
“It was 40% until this school year," Ramage said, "and then the federal government changed that, and that reduced that percentage down to 25%."
Now more schools qualify, but Ramage says they haven’t seen a big increase in participation.
That’s because the fewer students who qualify for federal assistance, the lower the school’s reimbursement rate, so it’s not financially feasible for some schools.
Illinois did pass a universal free meals law last year. The problem is that they didn’t fund it. The law’s sponsor Rep. Maurice West introduced another bill this year to devote $200 million to the program but it didn’t pass.
If it does pass, at some point, the food staff in DeKalb think it could make a massive difference.
They say kids having access to meals every day doesn’t just fill their stomachs: it fuels their bodies so they can play tag during recess, and powers their brain so they focus on their homework — and builds a foundation for a healthy life.
Northern Public Radio | By Maria Gardner Lara
Published October 2, 2024 at 11:00 AM CDT
Boone County, IL
Belvidere has gotten a lot of attention over the last year. It’s where President Joe Biden and UAW President Shawn Fain visited and it’s the place where most of the new economic development is happening in Boone County. Here are four candidates running to represent the Third District, which includes most of Belvidere, on the Boone County Board.
Voters will get to choose two candidates. The last day to cast a ballot is November fifth.
Marion Thornberry (R)
Marion Thornberry, Boone County Government
Incumbent Republican Marion Thornberry has lived in and around Belvidere since he was five years old. He’s retired from the trucking industry. He was first on the board from 2012 to 2014 and was elected again in 2022.
He said he’s running for the same reason folks have encouraged him to run.
“We have to have responsible people involved in the different seats, like county board chairman and people of that nature," Thornbery said. "We have to have people in there that's into it for the betterment of the community and not their own special agendas.”
Republicans hold all 12 seats of the county board.
Thornberry said rodeos is one of the most pressing issues facing the county.
He’s referring to coleaderos. It’s a sport that involves a horse rider attempting to knock down a steer by its tail. Mexican-American families have held the events on their property for over 20 years in the county.
Thornberry is one of the main supporters calling for a ban on steer-tailing, which would put an end to the Mexican-style rodeos.
“A lot of people think we're trying to get rid of the rodeo itself, but we're not,” he said. “All we're trying to do is to get them to eliminate the animal cruelty.”
The county board held two rounds of special meetings to review regulations for the events. Thornberry attended the meetings regularly, though he wasn’t on the committee.
He often criticized the Assistant State’s Attorney on her advice to the committee.
“One of the things that we brought to her attention, she claims we can't defend,” Thornberry said. “Whether we can or can’t is irrelevant, immaterial. The State's Attorney job is to defend what the county board put’s out there.”
Several civil rights activists and Latino leaders have criticized the board for its focus on the Mexican-style rodeos that they find to be racially motivated.
Thornberry disagrees. “It doesn't have any place in the argument at all," he said. "It's all about animal cruelty.”
And yet, the Assistant State’s Attorney has reminded the board repeatedly that under Illinois law, steer tailing is not illegal.
The board's scrutiny over the Mexican-style rodeos has received the attention from the Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul. In November, his office warned the board about taking discriminatory action that would treat Mexican-style rodeos differently from American-style rodeos.
Nevertheless, Thornberry said some of the board members are looking at another attempt at regulating the Mexican-style rodeos.
“Once we get a better clarification of what we need to do, then maybe we can get this to where there's not so much conflict between us and the Latin American people” he said.
The Third District includes most of Belvidere. It's become more diverse since the last US Census. The Hispanic community makes up about 40 percent of the population, which is a five percent increase from the previous count. In contrast, the white population has gone down about three percent in the same time period.
Thornberry said the board does a good job serving all of the county residents.
“Nothing we do in Boone County is reprehensive to the Mexican Latino community,” he said. “Everything we do is voted for the community regardless of race.”
He said another issue facing the county is solar business seeking land.
He said solar business should only be allowed on farmland of less quality versus on prime land.
“We're simply asking, just put it where we'll do the least harm to the farm industry,” Thornberry said.
It’s becoming more difficult for the county to restrict solar business since the state passed a law limiting local decision making.
As Belvidere attracts big businesses to the area, the need for housing has increased. Thornberry, though, said that’s not a county problem.
“I think the housing problem is mainly within the city, and that falls within the city ordinances and how they do stuff,” he said.
Regarding water management, Thornberry said the county is on the right track with hiring Dan Kane, a local water expert, to oversee the water conservation efforts on a part-time basis.
“Now, once he decides he's done, then we will have to hire someone to replace him,” he said. “And our administrator is looking into that right now.”
Michael Carlyle (D)
Michael Carlyle, Boone County Democrats
This is Carlyle's first time running. He's lived in the area since the 70s. He’s semi-retired from his home remodeling business.
Carlyle said high property taxes is a main driver for running for the Board.
“Because of the actual assessed values, some folks' taxes are going up astronomically,” he said. “And nobody seems to want to fix that at the state level. Nobody wants to have that conversation.”
He said another concern he has is the new business developments happening in Belvidere. He wants answers about the community impact on tax breaks given to companies to lure them to the county.
“They don't want people to know that tax money, depending on who gave up their rates, we may not see any relief from the growth that we are currently under in the city limits anyway,” he said.
He questions whether the jobs created by Project Yukon and, eventually a Walmart distribution center, provide decent wages.
“It's a great job for some, but it's not a job where . . . the pay for a fork truck driver could not afford to live in my house, and I don't have a high end house,” he said.
He said housing is a big concern and an area he’d focus on addressing if elected to the board.
“The jobs that are being created in that little section of business aren't paying a whole lot of money, and we won't have the proper housing to keep them here in town,” he said.
And he’s worried about the county’s oversight of the water management of these large industrial developments.
“Lack of inspections, lack of ordinances to control certain buildings and what they can and can't do with the storm sewer runoff - that's been a problem,” he said.
Regarding rodeos, he said, “To me, it seems to be definitely racially drawn, and I don't understand.”
Some local residents and an outside animal rights group have driven the push for the ban.
“Why are we listening to people that live Elburn, Colorado, California?,” he asked. “They don't even pay taxes here.”
Matthew Ragano (R)
Matthew Ragano, Facebook
Matthew Ragano is a retired construction worker. For 25 years he also was an Elvis Presley impersonator. He’s lived in Belvidere for nearly 30 years. This is his second time running for the Boone County Board.
Ragano said one of his goals if elected to the Boone County Board is to lower taxes.
“Well, I think I could do a great deal to help the citizens of Third District and help Boone County lower, whatever taxes there are, “ Ragano said.
He said some residents complain about an issue, but are afraid to call up a government office to find a solution.
“So I figured, well, if, if they don't, they need somebody that can take the problem to the right person and take care of it,” he said.
Ragano said recently he solved a resident's problem himself, after a sewer repair from the city left a hole in their yard.
“So, I went over there today and actually put dirt down and seedling down for them, and they're happy now.”
On rodeos, he's more aligned with the incumbent Thornberry.
“Just don't treat the animals without respect,” he said. “I think they need respect like they were a family member.”
Ragano said residents of the third district face a difficult economy.
“The economy is just going through the roof,” he said. “And nobody's making enough money to support ourselves, because it's all going to bills.”
He said housing is a problem especially for those who are low-income.
“There's nothing out there that they can afford, whether it be Section Eight or on a fixed income,” he said.
Ragano said jobs and safety are also on his mind.
“People have to work, walk around worried about safety, and they shouldn't have to worry about where they go or where they shop or work this and that,” he said.
He also supports finding ways to ensure safe, drinkable water.
Michael Hart (D)
Hart grew up In Belvidere and earned a bachelor’s degree in music education. He's now a software engineer. For 14 years, he’s sat on the Boone County Art Council.
He says one of the cornerstones of his campaign is more use of the imagination at the board.
“Historically, we've done a lot of saying no to things in Boone County at the county board level and that's stopped a lot of opportunities from coming our way,” he said. “So, I'd like to change that.”
For example on solar energy, he said, “We should use our imaginations, and instead of saying ‘no’ to any solar project that we can say no to, why don't we evaluate how we can protect our natural farm resources, and at the same time become a leader in renewable resources."
The other theme of his campaign is inclusion.
“The county board as it sits right now, is 100% Republican, almost all male, almost all white male,” he said. “And I know that I'm also a white male, but I want to include other voices that aren't being heard currently at the county board level.”
He said while the Mexican-style rodeos and solar panels get a lot attention, one big concern for him is healthcare.
“I talked to lots of community members that are frustrated with the limited access to quality health care in our neighborhood and our in our county,” he said.
Hart said it’s about looking at creative solutions “like beefing up the offerings of the local health department or investing in other local infrastructure that would promote public health.”
He said the lack of affordable housing is another issue. And one approach is to look at how other communities have addressed it.
“It probably involves some things, like creating some multifamily housing,” he said.
Other issues Hart cares about include jobs and supporting career education programs.
“How can we invest more in those type of things that are going to get students in a pipeline for real livable wage, paying jobs for working families,” he said, “because that feeds right back into the prosperity of the community as well.”
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